leader of Moscow. However, two years later, Gorbachev removed Yeltsin from office because of conflict over the rate at which the democratic reforms should be carried out. Because of his popularity with the people, Yeltsin did not stay out of power for very long. In June of 1991, after quitting the Communist party, he was elected by popular vote to serve as the president of the Republic of Russia. The Communist hard-liners were worried about Yeltsin's popularity because his ideas for democratic reform were even more radical than those which had been proposed by Gorbachev.
During 1990, conservative Communist party members were already starting to make plans for a coup. It is surprising that Gorbachev did not see the rebellion coming, because it had been foreshadowed "by a year of intrigues, threats and premonitions." Once the party leaders decided to try to overthrow the government, it became necessary to get the Soviet army involved. It was apparent that the only way the proposed coup could be suc
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